


Train of Thought

by enemytosleep



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Desert, Gen, Introspection, Negotiations, Trains, Xing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-09-17 20:37:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16981395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enemytosleep/pseuds/enemytosleep
Summary: Roy on a train. <— There, that was a helpful summary!





	Train of Thought

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cornerofmadness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/gifts).



> Written for the 2018 Fandom_Stocking exchange on Dreamwidth. Ling’s imperial title comes from [bob_fish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bob_fish/pseuds/bob_fish) and I will continue to use it forever and always.

The sun reflected harshly off the endless sands outside his window. Roy sighed and slouched into his seat. His shirt was already unbuttoned at the top, sleeves rolled up and unpleasantly moist down the back. A small fan blew stale air in his face, but it had stopped feeling helpful days ago.

Once again, he briefly considered the transmutation that had popped into his brain when the desert had first begun baking this train; but, once again, he decided against it. This was the first time Amestris had been invited to visit the new emperor of Xing, His Celestial Majesty the Emperor Yao Ling, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years— _gods, Roy would never tire from repeating the title except perhaps when he’d had to put it to paper_ —and it wouldn’t do to alter Xing’s new trade railway on the first official trip; especially not when the emperor had seen to accommodate Roy in his own imperial carriage. The cabin was far too new, and far too fine, for alchemic alterations. Especially from an alchemist so new to spontaneous transmutations gleaned from beyond the Gate. If Edward had been here, though … it wouldn’t be the first bill the government had received under Fullmetal’s name.

Roy took a moment and pictured some of the things the elder Elric might have conjured up in the few days he’d been stuck on this train, laughing to himself as each idea got more and more insane. 

When he was done with that, Roy sat forward in his seat, elbows on his knees, and stared into the horizon. Soon the desert would be behind him, and he’d find himself in Zhongdu, hopefully securing a trade deal to benefit both countries. A little discomfort was nothing. They’d endured far worse already simply to reach this opportunity. He could almost see Maes grinning at him in the reflections on the window glass, proud of their progress toward a free Amestris. Roy grinned back. _Onwards and upwards._


End file.
